

Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Current roleState Representative
PartyDemocratic
Political ideologyModerate Democrat
Age47 years old (Apr 12, 1979)
GenderMale
LocationIowa
BackgroundState legislator
EducationSouthwest Minnesota State University (BA, 2002)
Notable personal detailsJoshua Mark Turek is an American politician and wheelchair basketball player serving in the Iowa House of Representatives (District 20, Council Bluffs area). A four-time Paralympian, he won a bronze medal in 2012 and gold medals in 2016 and 2020 with the U.S. men's national wheelchair basketball team. He is a Democratic candidate for the 2026 U.S. Senate election in Iowa and has worked as an advocate for people with disabilities.
Supports protecting social safety-net programs and opposes tax cuts that primarily benefit billionaires and large corporations; emphasizes lowering costs for families, raising the minimum wage, and supporting farmers and small businesses. Advocates using government policy to preserve and expand programs such as Medicaid and ACA subsidies rather than pursuing tax cuts for the wealthy.
Supports affordable, accessible health care and protection of Affordable Care Act subsidies; describes health care as a human right and opposes policies that privatize or cut Medicaid and other safety-net programs. Focuses on preventing rural hospital closures and expanding government-backed assistance to lower costs and increase access.
Supports protections for immigrant families and criticizes aggressive federal ICE actions while acknowledging the need for immigration laws targeting violent criminals. Emphasizes local control and community safety over expansive federal enforcement. Frames immigration policy with a humanitarian focus given personal family ties to immigrants.
Supports restoring broader abortion access in Iowa, has called for codifying Roe v. Wade at the federal level, and filed legislation to overturn the state’s six‑week abortion ban. Frames the six‑week ban as harmful to health care access and maternal care in Iowa.
States support for “meaningful and effective environmental protection,” with emphasis on air, food, and water, but public materials do not specify detailed climate or energy policies such as emissions targets, fossil-fuel phase-out, carbon pricing, or major clean-energy programs.
Josh Turek has won the Democratic nomination for Iowa’s 2026 U.S. Senate race, defeating state Sen. Zach Wahls. He will now face Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson in the general election for the open seat held by retiring Sen. Joni Ernst. Recent coverage says the race is expected to be competitive, though early polling and prediction markets have leaned Republican.


Aggregation source: FiftyPlusOne
2026
LatestCycle 2026
Source: FEC
New updates coming soon
We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.